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Registered unemployment in Catalonia falls by 21,075 in May; biggest decline in 19 years

Last month Catalonia was where the most intense monthly and annual drops in unemployment were registered in Spain. At the end of May, 531,899 people were on the Catalan Public Employment Service's (SOC) lists. This means 21,075 fewer jobseekers than in April 2015 (-3.81%), representing the most significant monthly drop registered for the month of May for 19 years (when the historical record started). Catalonia also registered a 10.2% annual drop in unemployment in comparison to May 2014 - representing 60,405 fewer people unemployed - the biggest annual decline since May 2000. It is has now accumulated 23 consecutive months of annual decline. In Spain as a whole, at the end of May 2015, the number of people registered as unemployed stood at 4.21 million, with 117,985 less jobseekers than in April 2015. An encouraging sign given that in the last 7 years registered unemployment had been falling at an average of 58,000 people from April to May.

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02 June 2015 06:31 PM

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ACN

Barcelona (ACN).- Last month Catalonia was the Spanish Autonomous Community where the biggest monthly and annual drops in unemployment were registered. At the end of May 2015, 531,899 people were on the Catalan Public Employment Service's (SOC) lists, according to data released on Tuesday by the Spanish Employment Ministry. This means 21,075 fewer jobseekers than in April 2015 (-3.81%), representing the most significant monthly drop registered for the month of May for 19 years (when the Ministry's historical record started). Catalonia also registered a 10.2% annual drop in unemployment in comparison to May 2014 - representing 60,405 fewer people unemployed - the biggest annual decline since May 2000. It has now accumulated 23 consecutive months of annual decline. In monthly terms, Catalonia has accumulated 4 consecutive months of decreases, while in annual terms, unemployment is down for the 17th consecutive month. In Catalonia, the month of May has traditionally been one where unemployment tends to fall.

Across the whole of Spain, at the end of May 2015, the number of people registered as unemployed stood at 4.21 million, with 117,985 fewer jobseekers than in April 2015. An encouraging sign given that in the last 7 years it had been falling at an average of 58,000 people in May (compared to April). Last May was for Spain the best ever, both in monthly and annual terms.

Catalonia registered the biggest drop in unemployment in Spain

In May, registered unemployment declined in all the 17 Spanish Autonomous Communities: Catalonia led (with 21,075 fewer jobseekers), followed by Madrid (-16,097 registered unemployed people) and Valencia (-14,161). As for the Spanish Provinces, registered unemployment fell in 51 out of the 52: Madrid came top (with 16,097 fewer people without a job and on Social Security lists) and Barcelona registered the second most significant decrease (-13,367 people). Almeria, in Andalusia, was the only exception in the whole of Spain, as registered unemployment rose there.

Catalan unemployment returns to August 2009 levels, down in all 4 provinces

In May 2015, registered unemployment in Catalonia was the same as that of August 2009, decreasing in all four Catalan provinces.

In Barcelona Province (where more than two-thirds of Catalans live), there were 396,847 people registered as jobseekers, a 3.26% fall compared with April 2015 (13,367 fewer individuals unemployed) and a 10.42% drop in annual terms (46,157 fewer individuals unemployed). Barcelona has now had 23 consecutive months of annual decline in registered unemployment and 4 consecutive months in monthly terms.

In Girona Province (north-eastern Catalonia, where the Costa Brava is located), the number of jobseekers stood at 47,512, a 4.92% monthly decline (2,461 fewer individuals unemployed) and a 9.69% drop in annual terms (5,098 fewer individuals unemployed). Girona has now accumulated 22 consecutive months of annual decreases in registered unemployment and 4 consecutive months of monthly drops.

The number of unemployed people in the Lleida Province (western Catalonia) was 25,995, which is 2,423 people less than in April 2015, which is an 8.53% month-on-month decrease. In annual terms, there were 2,442 less jobseekers, a 8.59% annual reduction and the biggest drop recorded in Lleida since June 2014, when unemployment declined by 10.36%. This Catalan Province has now seen unemployment rates falling for 24 consecutive months in annual terms and 3 consecutive months in monthly terms.

Unemployed people in Tarragona Province (southern Catalonia, where the Costa Daurada is located) amounted to 61,545, a 2,824 person reduction from April 2015, which is a 4.39% monthly decrease. This is a decline of 6,708 people in annual terms, or a 9.83% fall, which represents the biggest percentage drop registered in this province since the start of the crisis. Tarragona has now achieved 23 consecutive months of falling unemployment in annual terms and 4 consecutive months in monthly terms.

All economic sectors played a very active role in reducing registered unemployment

All sectors played a very active role in reducing unemployment, including the agricultural sector, with 1,863 less jobseekers, as the fruit-picking season started. The services sector - closely linked to the tourism sector which has registered record figures month after month - reduced the number of unemployed by 14,233 individuals.

In the industry sector - the engine of the economic recovery - registered unemployment dropped by 2,234 people, accumulating 16 consecutive months of decreases. This trend was interrupted only in August 2014 when a slight rise of 838 people occurred during most companies' holiday season. The recovery of the construction sector continues, with it this month registering a reduction in the number of people on the SOC's lists by 2,139 units.

In May 2015, 588 new contracts were signed in Catalonia

There were 228,588 new contracts signed in Catalonia this May, which means 9.11% more than in April 2015 and a 10.21% more than in May 2014. Of these contracts, 26,428 were permanent, 11.56% of the total. By contrast, the number of temporary contracts totalled 202,160, amounting to 88.48 % of the total. In annual terms, the number of permanent contracts increased by 4.36%, while temporary contracts grew by 11%. In May 2014, permanent contracts accounted for 12.2% of the total, while in May 2015 this percentage fell to 11.56%

The number of Catalans registered within the Social Security scheme increased

Besides all this, there has also been an increase in the number of Catalans registered within the Social Security scheme: in comparison to April 2015, 42,132 more people have registered with the system, representing a 1.4% increase, while in annual terms, a 3.7% rise occurred. In Spain as a whole, the number of people registered within the Social Security scheme grew as well: in monthly terms a 1.25% increase was recorded (592,937 more people), while in annual terms a 3.57% rise occurred (213,015 more people).

In May 2015, the number of Catalans receiving some sort of unemployment benefit or social grant was 307,155 people, representing 55.55% of the total number of individuals registered on the SOC's lists (552,974 people).